Christmas Season 2025/2026 -The First Day of Christmas: Christmas Day 2025

Thursday, December 25, 2025

Woke up with Dale feeling SICK. He never gets sick. Read Santa Mouse, one of my favorites from when I was a kid. Had to cancel with Mom due to Dale's illness. She was very understanding. 

Coffee this morning. 

Sylvester on my lap. 

I'm feeling run down too although I don't think I'm doing as poorly as Dale. Read the ghost story Lucky's Grove in bed and then fell asleep and took a two hour nap. Dale came to bed too and took a long nap as well. 

Added more to the manger scene. 

Had an Old Fashioned and watched a lot of Modern Family. Didn't have a full dinner but ate lots of snacks. Dale at quite a bit less than I did. 

He had a few crackers but never felt much better. 

I had a gingerbread man after Dale went to sleep. 

Quiet Christmas Day. 

Christmastide 2021/2022 - 2nd Day of Christmas: Books of the Day

Sunday, December 26, 2021

Pulled a couple of old favorites off the shelf today. One was 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore which I've heard just about every year since I was born. The poem is also known as "A Visit from St. Nicholas" and "The Night Before Christmas." It was originally published anonymously as "Account of A Visit from St. Nicholas" in 1823. Clement C. Moore is said to have claimed authorship in 1837. The poem is often credited as responsible for the modern conception of Santa Claus in the United States and much of the world. The edition I read today is a reproduction of the version with illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith which appeared in 1912. I obtained my copy of this rendition at the gift shop from the Alexander Ramsey House in St. Paul. Noel and I took a tour of the house of the former Minnesota politician two or three years ago. 

The second book I revisited is Santa Mouse by Michael Brown with illustrations by Elfrieda de Witt. This story didn't appear until a 146 years after 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. I had this book as a little boy and reading it now brings back early Christmas memories of me in my room at the house on Stevens at Christmas time. It's about a lonely little mouse who befriends Santa Claus after selflessly giving a gift to the jolly old elf. My original copy of the book is long gone but about 20 years ago I spotted a copy at Barnes & Noble and snapped it up for the sake of nostalgia. One of my favorites. 

Third Day of Christmas - Christmas On the Couch and More

Thursday, December 27, 2018

1. Sat on the couch and admired the tree.

2. Listened to 50s era Rosemary Clooney Christmas music.

3. Listened to Bing Crosby Christmas music and drank egg nog.

4. Ate some bark left over from Noel's holiday fete. 

5. Worked on the Joe and Mike Christmas Playlist.

6. Read How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

7. Read The Polar Express.

8. Ate leftover Chinese food from yesterday.

9. Listened to Christmas 2013 playlist and read The Night Before Christmas.

10. Took down the tree and all Christmas decorations. Including the two smaller trees pictured above. One was in the bedroom and one was in the dining room. 

11. Drank some egg nog.

12. Read Santa Mouse.

13. Listened to Christmas 2012 playlist.

14. Watched White Christmas with Dale while eating a frozen pizza for dinner.

15. The cowboy Charisse gave me didn't grow much from yesterday although it looks like one of his legs is a little more engorged. I took him out of water a few hours later...

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - More Christmas Picture Books

Spent a little time today looking at some Christmas picture books I've encountered over the years. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1957), The Night Before Christmas (1949)and Santa Mouse (1966) were read to Sam, Pete, and me by Mom years ago. The Polar Express (1985) was a books I encountered in my early teaching years. It brought back a lot of nice memories to look through them today. It also helped ease me into accepting the end of a wonderful Christmas vacation. I start back to school tomorrow.

Top left: The Polar Express by Chris van Allsburg

Top right: Santa Mouse by Michael Brown, Illustrated by Elfrieda de Witt

Bottom left: The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard

Bottom Right: How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss